Lifestyle blog, fashion, beauty and interior

Category: Tips

I discovered Etsy about a year ago. I was initially a bit sceptic, people selling their homemade things online. My mind immediately went to itchy colourful woollen jumpers and those (ugly) earrings that I remember making that you could get from them make-it-yourself shop. But oh was I wrong! I have found so many amazing things on Etsy! This is now my go-to place for anything stationary. I have yet to buy a 2017 planner but I’ve got my mind on this absolutely beautiful one. They’re made by people who use planners and know what people want. I’ve also bought loads of stickers, washy tape and pens to decorate my planner, I’m such a geek for that.

You can also find clothes, furniture, anything really! It’s great for people who are just starting out who might not have the funds to go right to paying for employers and a retail place.

Happy New Year again, everyone! I’m one of those people who love a new start. I love the chance of starting fresh, of making new goals and commitment and the excitement of it all. Even though there’s nothing stopping anyone from starting to work on their new goals on a regular Thursday, there’s something a lot more exciting about the start of a whole new year. 365 days where you have the chance of deciding how you want them to be.

However, don’t make your resolutions too difficult! It’s so easy to try to much, to make your goals so big that they are frankly not achievable. And you just end up feeling devastated when you’re not able to reach your goal. I know I have done that several times in the past! I want my goals to be obtainable, and bring me closer to my life values. Saying I’m going to work out 7 days a week or never eat chocolate again is just pointless for me. Saying I want to work out 2 times a week and maybe half my chocolate intake is a lot more realistic.

♥New Year’s Resolutions♥

My number one resolution is to handle set backs better. I can often be an all or nothing person. I’m very good at giving up on something if I have made a small mistake, such as just wait until next Monday to eat better if I eat a chocolate on Wednesday (don’t think I’m alone here?! hopefully, haha). If it is something that affects someone else I tend to be committed to the end goal, if it’s something that only affects me then not so much. So this year I want to practise getting back on the horse, because I know I will have set backs. And that’s okay!Get back in to pilates.

This is something I have been talking about forever, but have yet to do. I love pilates and I have never tried anything that builds up my core strength faster and better than this. I’m very excited about this one!

Improve this blog. I want to take better picture, improve my editing and take different pictures! I want this blog to look and be the way that I can imagine that it could. It takes a lot of effort and work, but I want to make it better. I’ve got Photoshop and Lightroom so I’m looking for something that watch/learn how to use this better. Anyone who has any tips?

Organise my time better. In the last 6 months I haven’t been very happy with the way I have managed my time. Because I have very long workdays I need to manage my time well as I don’t actually have time to do anything else, which makes it difficult to for example blog. But I’m going to view it as a challenge instead of a problem. Practice makes perfect:)

Continue saving. This is something that I think I’ve been good at in the last part of 2016. I’ve been fairly good at managing my money, and prioritise what to spend on and save 10% of my monthly income. The best tip I have for this is to move either a set % or set amount into a savings account on the day you get paid, don’t wait until the end of the month because you’ll just feel like you can’t afford to set anything away.

Cook more and try more new recipes. I have absolutely been neglecting cooking in the last few years. Being a student and only have myself to cook for has for me only meant to I have gotten worse and worse at cooking. I got a recipe book for Christmas and I’m very excited to try some of the recipes and hopefully improve my cooking skills.

If you, like me, love interior design and decorating you’ll love this book. It is called “Elements of Style” by the amazing Erin Gates. I came across it randomly in a WHSmith and I actually wanted to buy it just based on the cover without actually knowing if it was good. I love a good black and white stripe anything so I was sold just then. However, it is amazing to read too. I read the entire thing in a couple days and then wanted to decorate every room in the house despite not having any money lol.

Okay, Erin (www.elementsofstyleblog.com) actually also has a blog which I believe (if I’m not wrong) as a reason why she wrote this book. She is an interior designer and has her own business along with running her own very successful blog where she naturally writes about interior design, but also fashion, and her adorable baby boy Henry.

I’ve seen this book on top of so many tables in the background of so many Instagram and and blog photos. It’s basically a guide in how to decorate every room in your house mixed in with Erin’s personal stories. I love it and I’ll definitely re-read it when I need to go interior shopping for my future home. This would definitely be an amazing christmas present for anyone who loves interior design/decorating!

Light a christmas candle (my one smells like cinnamon and christmas spices)

Get a hot drink

Put on a film that get’s you in the festive spirit, I chose Home Alone

♣

This is how I’m spending my Sunday morning and I’m so content. I light all my christmas candles, I’m all snuggled up in my festive duvet and I’ve already had my breakfast. Definitely one of the best ways to spend a Sunday morning ♥

Okay, I’m a bit surprised I haven’t blogged about this before because I’ve told several people in my life about it. I’m taking about taking a personality type test. As someone who’s studied psychology, I got to learn about personality types and taken a test to find out my own personality. I think I have taken the personality test about 3 times and I always get the same answer so I’m fairly sure I know my personality type.

Most people are familiar with the terms extrovert and introvert. Most people assuming that being introverted means you’re shy and extroverted meaning you’re sociable. But that’s wrong. You can in fact be introverted and not be shy, and be extroverted and be shy. Extroversion and introversion are about how you feel energised. Simply put; introverts feel drain after being with people and need to be alone to “recharge”. Extroverts often feel restless from being alone and become more energised from being around people.

Back to the personality test. There’s a really good one here, which featured all the 16 personality types. My personality type is INFJ, the letters stand for introversion (I), intuition (N), feeling (F), and judgemental (J). It’s such a useful and fun test and I promise you will really recognise yourself in the description of the personality type. Let me know which personality type you are!

I both love and hate London in December. It can be the most magical place, lots of christmas markets, frosty cold air and every street is decorated for christmas. The only problem is, because it is so amazing, it seems like the entire world has decided it wants to visit London for christmas which mean you can’t move anywhere. So, if you have already planned a visit to London for the christmas month here are a few tips on what to do.

Hyde park Winter Wonderland. This is the biggest christmas market that I have ever been too. You could spend a whole day here and not be able to see all of it. It is a must see in my opinion but I do have a couple tips so you’ll make it out of the market alive. Go during the day time. It’s stunning in the evening but try going in the day time and it won’t be as crowded. Don’t go on the evenings. Saturday’s and Sunday’s in December are absolutely packed. If you’re here on a weekend in December I would avoid any touristy places as you’ll hardly be able to move, go on a weekday instead!

Christmas shopping. Okay, I know many people travel to London to do their christmas shopping. London has so many great shopping opportunities so it’s completely understandable. My advice is however to not do all your shopping on Oxford street. I have seen people actually queuing outside the shops because it’s so crowded. I would advice going to other shopping areas such as Westfield Stratford or Shepherd’s Bush, or go either early or late in the day if you need/want to do your shopping on Oxford street.

Afternoon tea. You should absolutely make time for afternoon tea in December. All the hotels are decked out for christmas and it’s simply the most amazing atmosphere. I have to make a confession and say I have never had afternoon tea in London! But most hotels offer it, simply choose a hotel you like the look of. If there’s a hotel that’s out of your budget to stay at, having afternoon tea is a great way to spend some time in the hotel. Just check if there’s a dress code (some don’t accept jeans, trainers, etc.).

Ice skating. This is on my list to do every December and every year I somehow run out of time! Anyway, if you’re here you should definitely try it. I know they have it at the Natural History museum in South Kensington and Somerset House by Embankment.

If you’re doing a long flight you want to be as comfortable as possible. You’re going to be doing a lot of waiting and sitting down and want to be as comfortable and rested as you can.

I was able to fit everything that I needed in to one bag which I recommend. Carrying lots of bag around when you’re travelling just makes you grumpy and it’s always annoying to see those people who are taking up everyones storage space on the flight because they decided to had to bring 3 massive bags.

I wouldn’t say no to be back here ♥

Choose a bag that feels comfortable carrying and that has smart storage that means that you find everything quickly. You don’t want to be pulling everything out of your bag because you can’t find your passport. I chose my very well used and loved tote bag from Michael Kors. I use it for everything because it fits so much and in my opinion it is a pretty bag. I’ve actually used it so much over the years that the handles are all worn and it needs to be retired soon but it definitely does its job! It’s got two small pockets for you phone(s), a pocket with a zip that perfectly fits a MacBook air, a small pocket with a zip that I usually use for lipgloss, gum, etc, a pocket for my wallet and passport and a holder for your keys.

Entertainment. On most long haul flights have the opportunity to watch films now, which is a lifesaver. But it’s also a good idea to download a film or two on your Ipad just in case. I also always bring a good book which I’m excited to read as I can easily read for a couple hours and it will just make the time go past so much quicker. Bring good headphones for films and music!

Comfy clothes. If I’m going to be in the air for several hours I need to be comfortable. Fashion is not my top priority, I would rather be comfortable and rested. Wear soft trousers, comfortable shoes and nothing that’s going to be too tight or squeeze you in the wrong places. I try to bring a soft long cardigan that I can wrap around me and I always bring a big scarf with me on every flight. I use it to wrap around me if I’m cold, as a pillow or to cover my eyes if I want to sleep.

Snacks and water. It’s always a good idea to bring some good snacks and water so you’re hydrated and don’t end up starving and grumpy. Drinking lots of water prevents you from becoming bloated and is also good for your skin as the air condition will make your skin dry.

Makeup and skin care. Bring a few makeup and skin care items that you’re allowed in your carry on and you can apply during the flight. I wont do a full face of makeup before the flight as I will always try to sleep and your skin also becomes very dry. A good idea is to bring travelled sized moisturiser/makeup wipes/hydrating spray that you can use at the end of the flight. I would also bring a sheet mask which you can put on and are great to bring on travel. You’ll probably look a bit crazy wearing it but your skin will be glowing when you’re landing. Then you can put on some makeup just before landing if you want!

I have always been interested in skin care products and different brands. I have had spots and acne on and off since my teens which is what introduced me to skin care and to trying to fix my skin. Spots seem like a really unimportant problem and it is compared to many other things in life, but it really killed my self-esteem the times my skin has been covered in spots and bumps.

Last year around this time my skin was at its worst. At 24 years old I was sick of it and I ended up getting medication for it, which I still use. It took about 7-8 of using the medication to see any improvement in my skin but it has really worked and my skin has never looked better. I feel so much better in my skin and it’s such a nice feeling to not feel like I need to constantly cover up with makeup and feel insecure.

However, it’s still important to use skin care products. I don’t want loads of wrinkles or dry skin so I want to use skin care products that make my skin look and feel good. I use fewer products than I did before. I cleanse with micellar water day and night, use a serum and a moisturiser. That’s it. Sometimes when I have time (and remember to do it) I will exfoliate or use a moisturising mask. That’s it! These products are my current favourites. The micellar water smells really good and feel good on my skin, but I have also liked the ones from Garnier and can honestly not see much difference and any that I have used. I am in love with the products from Paula’s Choice. This moisturiser is absolutely amazing; it feels really thick and sinks in to the skin easily. The serum is also really good and I love that you can buy small minis to test before committing to a full sized version.

I love watching YouTube videos when I’m relaxing. I have already made a post of my favourite YouTubers (here) but I wanted to do an update and ad a few that I love watching. Personally I like watching videos about makeup, fashion and vlogs. Personality is vital to whether I like watching someone or not, if it’s someone who acts a bit over the top, or alters their personality that usual shines through and they just come across as fake.

•Must watch YouTubers•

Suzie//HelloOctoberxo

Suzie makes lifestyle, makeup and fashion videos. I love watching her hauls and her get ready with me videos as she edits them beautifully. Watch her get morning routine video or other get ready with me vidoes and you can really tell that she is talented at editing and filming. She has a really soothing voice which is nice to listen to and you can’t help but want to watch all her videos.

♥

Victoria//IntheFrow

Victoria is currently my favourite person to watch when it comes to fashion. She even has a PhD in fashion and you can tell that she knows her stuff. She is the girl you want as your best friend and is another person that you can tell that she puts in a lot of work in her videos. She also has an amazing blog with the same name. I especially love her luxury looks for less videos!

♥

Tiffany//MakeupByTiffanyD

I looove Tiffany’s interior hauls and vlogs! She originally started making beauty videos but later started doing vlogs and content on interior which I’m thrilled that she did. It’s often her vloggen from her home, the car with her daughter and husband and she makes everyday things like going to the shop enjoyable to watch. I think much of that is because she doesn’t pretend to be anyone else and she will give a detailed honest opinion about anything.